Oklahoma Companies Fare Well in Heading to Market

Oklahoma copanies have done well this year when officials opt to take them public.

Oklahoma companies fare well in heading to market Oklahoma companies have done well this year when officials opt to take them public. By Jay F. Marks Oklahoman

The stock market has been kind in 2011 to Oklahoma companies looking to go public.

Four have launched successful public offerings this year, combining to raise more than $1 billion in their debuts.

Now Chesapeake Energy Corp. is poised to wade into the market with a royalty trust that will hold a share of the proceeds from the company's Colony Granite Wash play in Washita County, as detailed in regulatory filings on Friday. The Chesapeake Granite Wash Trust will trade on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "CHKR."

SandRidge Energy Corp. seemingly set the standard for such offerings this year in introducing investors to a pair of trusts.

The SandRidge Mississippian Trust, which trades as "SDT," raised $340 million in April, followed by the SandRidge Permian Trust, "PER," earlier this month, which at its initial offering grossed $621 million.

Success stories

Other successful offerings from Oklahoma companies in 2011 included NGL Energy Partners in May and Compressco Partners in June.

Tulsa-based NGL netted $75.5 million from its initial public offering, while Compressco, which trades as "GSJK," earned $54 million from becoming a public company.

Another planned IPO was canceled earlier this month, robbing investors of a chance to buy into "JAWS."

Oklahoma City-based Great White Energy Services withdrew its plans for an initial public offering after it was acquired by Bermuda-based Archer Limited.